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7 Dishes That Are Just As Good (If Not Better) As Burgers

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Photo by: Steve Giralt

Steve Giralt

Who doesn’t love a good burger? Vegetarians and vegans, of course. But for everyone else, the combination of toasted bun + melted cheese + thick, juicy patty is sheer perfection. Now that summer’s here, we’re looking for ways to turn everything into a burger — pizza, cheesesteaks, bagels and lox.

No dish is immune to our scheming desire for meaty goodness sandwiched between buttery, toasty bread. Here’s how we’ve reimagined a few of our favorite dishes as summer’s reigning food of choice.

BBLT

What could possibly be better than a crisp, buttery BLT, hot off the griddle? All the components of a BLT surrounding a thick, smoky beef patty, obviously. We’ll call it the BBLT: Bacon, Beef, Lettuce and Tomato. Try Food Network Magazine’s BLT Burgers with Bacon Mayonnaise for dinner tonight, and you’ll never go back to the single B.

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These Asian Chicken Burgers capture the same salty tang of a traditional Vietnamese banh mi sandwich, thanks to the ginger, soy sauce and sambal oelek — a hot Asian chili sauce — that are used to flavor and moisten the chicken.

Greater Than Grinders

Italian sausage finds new expression in the form of Jeff Mauro’s Smashed Sausage and Pepper Burgers topped with bubbly, golden mozzarella. Serve the burgers with a side of your favorite red sauce, just like you would a traditional sausage and pepper sandwich.

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New-School “Cheesesteak”

A classic Philly cheesesteak involves thin-sliced beef sliced piled onto a split grinder and topped with melted cheese, peppers and onions. Bobby Flay’s Philly Burger captures the essence of the beloved sandwich in quick-and-easy patty form. That way, you’re spared the extra step of slicing the beef against the grain.

For his Pepperoni Pizza Burger Bomba, Jeff folds pepperoni-topped pizza dough over a sauce-covered burger patty, just as you would a giant dumpling, before baking in the oven until golden brown. Serve with extra pizza sauce on the side for a plush pillow of saucy, meaty pizza perfection.

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Food Network Magazine’s Tangy Meatloaf Burgers come together with the help of paprika, parsley, ketchup and breadcrumbs — all of the flavors present in a traditional meatloaf recipe. Even the patties consist of the classic mix of ground pork, beef and veal. The only difference is that these burgers are way more fun to eat. No fork or knife required!

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